More staff at Oak Park Elementary District 97 received bad news this week when they found themselves on a list of cuts if the April tax referendum fails.
The school board approved the reductions Tuesday night, which includes the elimination of 27 teacher assistants, 11 secretaries and receptionists and the BRAVO director. Eight others will still be employed but see a demotion or reduction in pay. The district announced 51 teaching layoffs earlier this month, bringing the total to 90 faculty and support positions that could be eliminated if voters reject the tax increase. The layoffs, pay concessions and program cuts make up the $5.7 million budget gap officials said they will need to fill without the revenue increase.
All employees except Tina Reynolds, the director of the BRAVO theater group, which is on the long list of program cuts, are union employees. All three district unions, as well as the administration, agreed to pay concessions to both send a message to the voters and to lessen the impact of cuts if the referendum fails.
District Human Resources Director Trish Carlson said the cuts were based almost entirely on tenure at the district.
“It was strictly seniority, which is a little different than the teachers,” Carlson said.
Support staff have seniority from the first day, while teachers have to wait five years for tenure, meaning there is little difference in union protection and job security between a first-year teacher and a fourth-year teacher. With teachers, there was a pool of non-tenured faculty to pick from while support staff reductions is essentially cutting from the bottom.
Just like with the teachers, many pink slips will be withdrawn if the referendum passes. However, Carlson said the district staffs teacher assistant positions based on need, so there is no guarantee all individuals will be back next year even if voters approve the increase.
Eight employees would see demotions or a reduction in pay as well. Some will be moved between similar positions that have different pay or don’t work year-round, like going from a school secretary to a lower-paid receptionist. Others will be moved from permanent substitutes to teacher assistants, a position that pays $3 less an hour.
Since the referendum vote is less than two weeks away, Carlson said this list of layoffs is the end of a long and painful process. It does not include those who can get laid off due to poor performance.
“You never can tell with a district that employs 800 people, but as far as I know, this is the end,” she said.
